How to get rid of Quaking Aspen trees?

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Quaking Aspen or Populus Tremuloides belong to the cooler temperate regions of North America and are known commonly as Aspens. They are regarded to be one of the fastest-growing trees and can survive a wide array of conditions. They are cultivated due to their beautiful golden foliage and are characterized by their tall slender trunks with scaly white barks.

Let’s take a look at how to kill Quaking Aspens and their root systems.

How to Kill Quaking Aspen Trees?

Some of the most popular methods for killing Populus Tremuloides are:

  1. Foliar Spray
  2. Cutting the tree down and treating the stump with Herbicides
  3. Gridling or ring barking
  4. Basal Bark treatment
  5. Injecting the tree with killing chemicals
  6. Cut surface treatment

If you want to learn more about any of these methods, make sure to go through my article “how to kill trees without cutting them down

The best way to kill a small Quaking Aspen tree

A small Populus Tremuloides considered small can be up to 25 feet tall with a long slender trunk.

The first option is to simply cut down the tree using a chainsaw or an ax and treat the stump with a concentrated herbicide like Tordon RTU, Relegate, etc. Using a herbicide will ensure the tree will not sprout back to life the next season. (You can follow the steps in this post)

Cutting down a small tree should not be an issue and you can get it can be done without any professional help.

If you are not up to cutting down the tree, there is an alternative method you can go for.

Basal Bark Treatment

Keep in mind that this method can only be used if the diameter of the trunk is less than 6-7 inches.

Make sure you are wearing protective gear while using this method.

You will need a backpack sprayer or a regular sprayer for spraying the chemical, a strong herbicide, and an oil-based solvent.

Ideally, you should choose herbicides that contain Trycloper or Trycloper Ester as the main chemical or even use Imazapyr-based herbicides. For example, Garlon 4 Ultra, Relegate, Forestry Garlon XRT, Aligare Trycloper are good choices, but not available in every state.
Because of this, the next best thing to use would be Triclopyr which you can find on Amazon (Affiliate link)

The solvent or oil carrier to mix the herbicide in would be diesel, basal oil, fuel oil, or kerosene.

The ideal proportion for mixing should be 1 part herbicide and 4-part solvent, so about 20-25% concentration.

Some types of herbicides in the market can directly be used for this method without needing to mix with anything like ‘Pathfinder II’. There are a lot of varieties in the market, so make sure to read the label before using them.

  1. Once you have the solution, spray the bottom 20 inches of the Populus Tremuloides tree with it.
  2. After the first layer has been absorbed, repeat this process again for better absorption.
  3. It is imprtant to make sure that the tree is not wet while performing this technique as the chemicals are hydrophobic. Mixing the herbicide with oil means they will not be absorbed as effectively on wet trunks.

The best way to kill a large Quaking Aspen tree

A large Populus Tremuloides can grow up to 80 feet tall. Because of their invasive nature, it is recommended to kill them early on, or as fast as possible.

You can use two methods together to speed up the process- Ringbarking and Chemical Injection.

Ringbarking

Ringbarking would be the easiest and the most efficient method for killing a large Populus Tremuloides as it will stop the nutrient flow from the roots to the stems and the leaves. Without nutrients, the tree will eventually die.

  1. You will need to either get a hatchet, saw or a chainsaw for this method.
  2. Remove a ring of bark around the entire circumfence ot the tree, about 4-8 inches wide.
  3. For extra measure, spray concentrated herbicide along the exposed bark. Tordon RTU would be suitable here as well.

Chemical Injection

  1. You will need a drill and a herbicide. Tordon RTU will work here.
  2. Drill holes, 2-3 inches deep along the circumference of the Populus Tremuloides, about 2-3 feet above the ground. The angle of the holes has to be downward.
  3. Inject a strong herbicide like Roundup or Tordon RTU into these holes and let it absorb.
  4. After about an hour, inject more herbicide into the holes to increase the absorption.

If you want to kill the tree secretly, you can also inject the herbicide directly into the roots of the tree.

What’s the best time to kill Quaking Aspen?

The best time to kill Populus Tremuloides is during the winter or early spring. The nutrient demand of the tree is at a maximum during spring when they are growing new leaves. Killing the tree in winter will stop this nutrient supply and speed up the killing process.

Should you hire a professional tree removal service?

If the Populus Tremuloides are small, you can manage to kill and remove the Aspen yourself. On the other hand, if the tree is big, it is recommended to hire a professional service provider.

Especially if the tree is located near a house or powerlines and you need to get the tree cut down.

From killing the tree to getting it cut down and transported, there are a lot of factors to consider, and hiring a professional will take care of everything.

I will publish a tree removal cost guide soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you kill a Quaking Aspen without cutting it down?

Quaking Aspen can be killed without cutting it down using Basal Bark Treatment when the tree is young and Girdling along with chemical injection when the tree is mature.

Can you kill Populus Tremuloides using bleach?

If you are dealing with a larger and mature tree, then bleach will not kill the tree. Bleach can be used to kill a sapling or a small shrub-sized Populus Tremuloides.

How to get rid of Populus Tremuloides shoots?

Small Shoots can be removed by simply uprooting them from the ground and spraying a little herbicide, preferably Roundup on the soil in the surrounding area.

Conclusion

A small Populus Tremuloides or Quaking Aspen with a trunk smaller than 7 inches can be killed using Basal Bark Treatment. With bigger trees, you can use Girdling along with the Chemical Injection method. Alternatively, you can also cut the tree down and treat the stump with a herbicide.

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